Ojobo—A Niger Delta activist and priest of Binipere deity of Ojobo community in Delta State, Priest Timipre Ndoni has faulted the Nigerian Army for reportedly burning down properties and killing residents of Letugbene Community in Ekeremor Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
Niger Delta Mirror earlier reported that the invading soldiers allegedly killed several innocent residents of the community and burnt down houses leaving many homeless and destroying properties worth millions of naira.
A community source alleged that troops of Operation Delta Safe were looking for a militant leader popularly known as General Amagbein.
However, in a statement sent to Mangrovepen.ng, Priest Ndoni condemned the military invasion, describing it as barbaric.
The traditionalist argued that “whenever the Army is in search of a missing soldier, they’re always inspired to kill and burn properties of innocent people and render them homeless forgetting that Nigeria is for all.”
“Can they try such in northern communities in regards to a missing soldier?
“Because we all are aware of the Boko-Haram insurgency and other numerous terrorist groups killing people here and there in the northern part of Nigeria and we haven’t heard that the Nigeria army has burnt any community in the North.”
He called on President Muhammadu Buhari, the Chief of Army Staff and other security chiefs to be cautious in the way they treat the people of the Niger Delta.
“I demand that the army tenders an apology to the community for their unprofessional conduct,” he insisted.
When contacted, spokesman of Operation Delta Safe Joint Task Force, Major Victor Olukoya debunked claims that the task force carried out any attack on Letugbene community.
“I am unaware that the task force carried out any operation in the community,” he said.
